🙂A single person spends $364 per month in Sylhet vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $615 per month in Sylhet vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $866 per month in Sylhet vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Sylhet is about 78% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Sylhet sits 73% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.45৳299
$7.89COP 24.2K
-68.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.32৳1,382
$44.53COP 136.5K
-74.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.96৳483
$9.29COP 28.5K
-57.37%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.00৳610
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01৳490
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.99৳242
$2.90COP 8,874
-31.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30৳36.26
$1.81COP 5,541
-83.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16৳20.04
$1.55COP 4,741
-89.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.25COP 9,962
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.88COP 18.0K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.83৳101
$1.38COP 4,230
-39.86%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59৳72.3
$2.45COP 7,517
-75.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.64৳78.1
$1.51COP 4,617
-57.62%
Eggs
$1.16৳142
$2.78COP 8,516
-58.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.51৳917
$9.05COP 27.7K
-17.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.34৳407
$10.65COP 32.6K
-68.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.56৳800
$14.63COP 44.8K
-55.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70৳330
$3.97COP 12.2K
-31.99%
Banana(1kg)
$0.93৳114
$1.38COP 4,219
-32.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41৳294
$2.30COP 7,056
4.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.67৳81.6
$2.02COP 6,185
-66.83%
Potato(1kg)
$0.24৳29.40
$2.09COP 6,390
-88.52%
Onion(1kg)
$0.50৳60.6
$1.63COP 4,996
-69.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.31৳38.34
$1.08COP 3,313
-71.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30৳36.81
$1.25COP 3,843
-76.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$2.78৳339
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09৳255
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93৳479
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.80৳341
$4.03COP 12.4K
-30.52%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$13.47COP 41.3K
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.60COP 4,904
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.00COP 9,189
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.75৳91.6
$1.18COP 3,611
-36.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.33৳2,969
$79.9COP 244.9K
-69.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19৳145
$1.61COP 4,920
-26.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.15৳18.61
$2.13COP 6,533
-92.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.17৳143
$8.52COP 26.1K
-86.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02৳125
$1.35COP 4,142
-24.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K৳3.6M
$28.3KCOP 86.8M
3.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K৳3.8M
$35.7KCOP 109.4M
-11.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$25.76৳3,143
$151COP 463.8K
-82.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.86৳471
$13.10COP 40.1K
-70.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.38৳1,510
$32.30COP 99.0K
-61.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$9.20৳1,122
$46.33COP 141.9K
-80.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.02৳490
$17.26COP 52.9K
-76.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.12৳503
$6.43COP 19.7K
-35.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$28.72৳3,504
$835COP 2.6M
-96.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$994৳121.3K
$8,887COP 27.2M
-88.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.33৳1,992
$89.3COP 273.7K
-81.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.16৳1,972
$55.3COP 169.5K
-70.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$36.29৳4,428
$137COP 418.5K
-73.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.90৳3,648
$109COP 335.1K
-72.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$130৳15.8K
$952COP 2.9M
-86.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$57.5৳7,011
$668COP 2.0M
-91.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$172৳21.0K
$2,020COP 6.2M
-91.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$158৳19.3K
$1,148COP 3.5M
-86.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$698৳85.1K
$3,696COP 11.3M
-81.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$353৳43.0K
$1,586COP 4.9M
-77.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sylhet
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$229৳28.0K
$625COP 1.9M
-63.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.98
10.43
5.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sylhet: August 17, 2026
Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Sylhet versus $952 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 173% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Sylhet versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $119 vs $297 – making Sylhet the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Sylhet vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Sylhet?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 364%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $546 per month in Sylhet and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sylhet, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Sylhet or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Sylhet and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sylhet and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $364 in Sylhet and $1,687 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Sylhet or in Medellin?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sylhet, where all-in costs run around $364, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Sylhet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sylhet or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sylhet – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sylhet. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.